Seven Chinese activists landed on the Diaoyu Islands early Wednesday morning
despite interception from the Japan Coast Guard, a spokesman for the group said
in Beijing.

A Chinese-registered vessel, with activists
aboard, approaches one of the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea on
March 24, 2004. [Reuters]

''Our people have
landed on the isle. They are doing some scientific and environmental studies
there,'' said Tong Zeng, chairman of the China Federation for Defending the
Diaoyu Islands.

''We will of course resist if Japan tries to clear our people from the
island. This is a territory of China,'' Tong said over the phone from Beijing.

The seven activists are among a group of 16 people, including a woman, who
sailed off in a 100-ton ship from a port in China's coastal Zhejiang Province
early Tuesday.

Chinese activists protest outside the
Japanese embassy in Beijing on March 24, 2004. [AFP]

It was the fourth time Chinese activists set
voyage for the islands in the East China Sea in the past nine months. But they
failed to land on the islands in their last three attempts.

The uninhabited island is located in rich fishing waters between Taiwan
Island and Japan's Okinawa islands.

Tong said Wednesday that the group was blocked by four Japanese vessels when
their ship was close to the islands. Seven activists, however, succeeded in
getting onshore with two small boats early in the morning, he said.

But the Japanese side had confiscated the two boats and is expected to take
action against the activists on the island, Tong said.

In Beijing, about 10 to 15 protesters stood outside the Japanese Embassy,
holding up the Chinese flag and red and white banners. One read: The Diaoyu
Islands are China's Territory.

China demands Japan not harm the
activists

China on Wednesday told Japan to treat its citizens who landed on the Diaoyu
Islands carefully and not take any action that would jeopardize their safety.

According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan, seven Chinese
citizens landed on the islands after a sea journey early on Wednesday, and they
were detained by the Japanese coastguard in the afternoon.

Kong said the Diaoyu Islands have been China's territory from time
immemorial, and the Chinese government has all along proposed resolving the
dispute through negotiations.

On Wednesday, Deputy Foreign Minster Zhang Yesui and the Asian affairs
department of the foreign ministry summoned the charge d'affaires ad interim of
Japan to China and lodged solemn representations.